


Can you remember a past life?

by meteorblade



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:47:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26242150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meteorblade/pseuds/meteorblade
Summary: Siblings and best friends Dimitri and Edelgard are about to start their year at the world renowned Garreg Mach Academy, a school attached to a cathedral that has existed since ancient times. Drawn in by the rich history of the academy detailed in the library, they have yet to find out their connection to the famous figures: The Flame Emperor and the Tempest King.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Scene one - Dimitri

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this comic by sethkiel, I was given permission to write this: https://twitter.com/sethkiell/status/1287123382434111489
> 
> Refer to my notes to understand the characters, their relationships and the universe better: https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1srcllm
> 
> This fic is written in "scenes" told by each of the lords, there won't be any flow meaning two scenes could be told by the same character.

Dimitri had a habit of always forgetting something whenever he traveled. It didn't matter how many times he checked his luggage, he'd arrive and find that he'd forgotten something, the worst instance was his wallet. He had to ask Edelgard to borrow money and she simply said that he was in her debt. Thinking about the day he'd eventually have to pay up frightened him.

So here he was, continuously emptying his suitcase and bags and then refilling them, he must have done this hundreds of times this morning and the passage of time was unknown to him currently. He was about to re-empty everything when loud knocking at his bedroom door snapped him out of his trance-like state.

"We're going to be late because of you!" Edelgard's annoyed voice, he had a good chance of surviving the 5 hour long drive to Garreg Mach. The world renowned school was about the only thing that put Fodlan on the map these days, people stopped caring about the 'rich history' centuries ago. Thankfully tourism wasn't the country's sole source of income.

He at least made sure he had his lucky blue lion charm. The factory error made it the only one in the world plus he was sure he passed physics because of it, there was no way he could pass physics without the supernatural powers of his charm.

He gathered his luggage and rushed to the door, but made sure to carefully open it. "Sorry about that" He had definitely lost track of time, since when was it light out? He made a point to hurry.

"Uncle and I have been waiting an hour, I'll have you know." there it was, she added an extra sting on the end of it to pierce through Dimitri's soul. He looked down a bit, feeling guilty that he hadn't even realized that much time had passed. Edelgard seemed to notice this.

"He isn't mad, he's spent this whole time signing Mr. Aegir up for adult newsletters. I guess this is what happens when everyone shares the same email server." she shrugged. Of course, Aegir's email would show up in any correspondence. Their uncle had a way of chipping away at people with mildly annoying things until they had a complete breakdown. Neither of them felt sorry for Mr. Aegir, everyone hated him and how he acted like he ran everything. Fortunately his son, Ferdinand, cried whenever Hubert put a spider in his hair.

"I wonder how dad even got to choosing someone like him as his running partner." Dimitri thought aloud, perhaps he buttered him up somehow. Or lied, he was good at lying.

"Lied, I'm sure." she agreed "The car can't fit us all so Hubert and Dedue took the bullet train, they'll be there two whole hours before us!" Why couldn't they do that? Their uncle would probably say something about the fact they're the presidents children and they needed to be safe but he wasn't exactly a 'safe' driver, but he never got into accidents. Maybe that was safe?

"Uncle, I caught him." 

"Caught? I'm not a fish!"

"True, fish are quick" Dimitri was absolutely quick most of the time, but highlighting the few instances he wasn't was Edelgard's specialty.

Arundel shook his head at the commotion, a silent 'why are you bickering like children? You're 17' he wasn't wrong.

"Dimitri, the more you look for something you might forget, the higher the chance of forgetting it." Their uncle was able to read minds, by the way. Or it could be that Dimitri always did this, yet still forgot something. He was quite predictable.

"My apologies, I don't want to bug you later to bring something I'd forgot..." he trailed off, rather embarrassed by this whole ordeal. He cost them quite some time, their uncle would have to drive like they were on a raceway while avoiding police.

"You forgot your sense of time, let's hurry up." Edelgard and Dimitri piled their belongings in the trunk and in the back seat Dimitri wouldn't be using because Edelgard always sat in the front. Something about her being the oldest even though they were twins. He made sure to bring the book he was reading with him, a really old story called "Loog and the Maiden of Wind" that had been republished. 

By really old, he meant older than Shakespeare, this author lived 1000 years ago. A true relic from the past but he was amazed these fantasy type books were popular then, too. He had heard rumors about it being based on fact, there was an ancient historical figure named Loog, but surely his story couldn't be this fantastical.

He opened the book to where he left off as their hours long journey to Garreg Mach began.


	2. Scene 2 - Edelgard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edelgard and Dimitri are joined by Claude as they make their way to their new home. Accompanied by the ever cheerful Alois all the way up. Edelgard throws a few zingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided I'll add Rhea's perspective too since Silver Snow is a thing. Her's will be more of her recognizing those she lost and those she let down.
> 
> ALSO I'm actually new to writing so I hope you guys will have patience. Constructive criticism is most appreciated!

As usual, Dimitri was taking forever to do anything, this time, it was getting all of his luggage out of the car. Their uncle was giving him a lecture about overpacking which faded away as Edelgard's eyes follows the winding path they'd have to walk to actually reach the monastery. It was completely uphill and look like quite a distance, completely surrounded by forest on each side. A nature hike was more like it.

"All right El, I'm finished!" Dimitri called, waving their uncle goodbye. He was enthusiastic as usual despite being a perpetual delay. Delay fish, if this were Finding Nemo. Dory without the memory trouble described him well.  
Edelgard controlled her laugh as her brother hurried over. He was carrying his luggage with complete ease while Edelgard was sure she would collapse just from an attempt to carry it. He somehow always had amazing strength, even lifting a steel beam off a construction worker without any sign of struggle. Meanwhile Edelgard's strength was just average, in turn she figured she was much smarter, or at least less oblivious.

"And you probably still have the energy to walk this, am I right?" she pointed to the trail, getting a shock when she noticed a man with a mustache laughing with a boy who looked about their age, but he was obviously faking it. The cart parked at the entrance to the trail promised that they actually wouldn't have to hike all the way up there, to say she was relieved was un understatement.

The boy, a brunet with short wavy hair and a rather stylish braid to the side, ran at them quickly as soon as he took notice. He was trying to escape whatever torture the man was inflicting upon him, Edelgard assumed. A fruitless effort, they'd all be piled in the cart soon.

He had an easy smile, tucking his hands behind his head. 

"Ah, fellow prisoners. We'll be stuck with Alois all the way up." he had a rather teasing tone to his voice and Edelgard knew he'd be incredibly annoying like the man, named Alois, seemed to be.

"Prisoners? But I thought this was a school? Have we done something wrong already?" Dimitri was anxiously spitting out questions, completely believing they were actual prisoners. The joke flew right over his head, she'd have to explain her brother's take-everything-literally personality to him.

"You thought I was being serious?" he winked in place of actual surprise.

"You weren't? Oh dear, this was a joke right?" Dimitri was doing the look at the ground in shame pose, but he soon replaced it with frustration. "I probably look so stupid!"

"Nah, I think it's kind of interesting, but you might want to be careful."

"True." a sigh, he turned his attention to gathering his luggage. "Before I forget, please allow me to introduce myself." Dimitri politely held out his hand "I'm Dimitri, and this is my sister--"

"Edelgard" She could introduce her self, thank you. She also picked up her things, they best not delay the inevitable.

"Shame, I guess we do have to get going..." he seemed only slightly annoyed "Call me Claude, we're the last so we must endure bad jokes all the way up." Edelgard knew Dimitri's face was contorting, not more jokes he might not know are jokes.

"All right you three, you ready to gead up?" Alois asked, a smile on his face. He seemed nice enough and Sothis knows Edelgard needed more nice adults in her life. Her father alone wasn't cutting it, not that her uncle was mean, but he wasn't nice.

Her thoughts continued as she, Dimitri and Claude piled their luggage on to the cart, she thought she heard Claude saying saying something about a certain bag having something fragile in it, she'd made sure to smother anything that may be breakable in bubble wrap. Claude seemed like a lazy packer.

Claude was quick to grab the front seat, leaving the siblings in the back. It wasn't the most comfortable thing ever but it still beat walking, there was no way she would make it all the way in one day let alone the rest of the morning.

"I can't seem to find my seatbelt..." Dimitri's voice dragged her out of her thoughts, and he was right, where WERE the seat belts?

"Ah, these things don't have them, just hold on the handles on the seats in front of you!" Claude also had access to a handle. She wondered how many students got injured on these in a year, a question soon to be answered as Dimitri piped up.

"Do students fall off a lot? How safe is this?"

"Ah! I knew you'd ask! Don't worry, the road is well taken care of, just not really suitable for a regular car. Most kids find it fun!" Alois said with a chuckle, likely to calm everyone's nerves. He pat Dimitri on the back, but her bother was still holding the handles for dear life, his knuckles turning white.

Edelgard took hold of her own, and Alois was right. The ride wasn't that bumpy at all, at most her back would be sore but that would be easily slept away. Dimitri seems to have relaxed a bit too, but still holding tightly. Claude had let go altogether and opened a can of iced tea, he was certainly making the most of it.

"This does beat walking, it looks like we're almost there already." Dimitri had taken to admiring the old buildings and ornate cathedral. Despite how old the entire monastery was, it was well maintained and the original architecture was followed quite well. She couldn't look up for long without getting dizzy, there wouldn't be much admiring for her.

"The Cathedral is the centerpiece of it all." Alois noticed them all staring, he continued "it was built about 2100 years ago and is the oldest still standing building in the country, I believe!" There was no arguing that, even the presidential houses terrible plumbing seemed modern.

"Ah, so it was a church before a school." Claude chimed in "so I imagine the school was originally church-run?"

"Bingo! An old bygone faith of ancient times." Alois seemed to know a lot, but then again, he taught there. "Now it's a place of spirituality and prayer for both staff and students. The peaceful atmosphere is ideal for studying too." 

As they rounded the rest of the trees, a large somewhat archway lead the way in. It had collapsed at the top and a boy who looked about a few years younger than them and a lady with long, wavy green hair seemed to be assessing it.

"The stones have all but completely crumbled, thank goodness no students were nearby." The lady spoke first, picking up a piece of stone that crumbled easily in her hand. "I will be sure to pray to Sothis as thanks for her protection."

"I've studied about enough masonry to know how this is done. It'll be up in no time once we get new bricks." the teenager seemed rather confident but looked capable.

"I don't want you near something so dangerous, but only you can draw out plans for a new one and guide the builders..." she was about to sigh, but Alois' approaching caught her attention.

"Walking from here on out, I'm afraid. I'm so sorry to these three students"

"I'll get a shovel and clear it after dinner."

"You must concentrate on your studying, Cyril, I'm sure Gilbert will make short work of this."

The boy, named Cyril, frowned as soon as 'studying' was brought up, Edelgard wondered if he was a student, or this lady's son? She looked young but wise and obviously devout.

"Pay it no mind!" Alois boomed "Nothing like a nice afternoon walk, right kids?"

All three had no choice but to nod, stretching their legs would be relieving after this but Edelgard hoped the dorms or where ever they had to go wasn't too far. She could easily see the main entrance from where they were standing.

"By the way you three, this lovely lady is Rhea. She teaches history and knows more about the monastery than I do!" he laughed a bit "This young man is Cyril, he's come to live here after tragedy befell his family." All six fell silent, and Cyril himself gave Alois an annoyed look for pointing him out.

"It's in the past, I'm thankful that miss Rhea decided to take me in, but..." he wrinkled his nose "She insists I study..."

"A fine education is the key to your future." Rhea said calmly, smiling. "Alois is a teacher too, we all want to see every student succeed. Personally, I won't allow my students to fail."

The last bit was a bit more serious. They could feel the authority in her voice, but such a statement meant she was dedicated and also that it was likely true that none failed. Claude moved in closer to Edelgard and Dimitri to whisper to them.

"Man, imagine getting punished for failing."

He caught both of their attention, but in different ways. 

"I'm worried now..." Dimitri whispered back, looking utterly defeated.

"History is simple, you need only read the textbook." Edelgard turned to her brother, elbowing him. "If you get punished for failing, it's because you can't read."

Claude's laughter brought attention to them all, who quieted down when their teachers and Cyril turned to look at them curiously. Alois seemed eager to lean of another jokester in the monastery.

"I'm happy you three are getting along already. School is much more fun with friends." Rhea lead them into the entrance and down a separate hall. It was incredibly ornate, with archways and carvings as they walked through. It was certainly a product of it's time but had it's own charm. Claude seemed the most interested in it, but brought his gaze to Edelgard and Dimitri.

"Those two are brother and sister."

"We're twins" Edelgard corrected. Dimitri remained silent.

"I see." Rhea nodded. "I have an elder brother, myself, but he's quite a bit older." Edelgard assumed this meant that she must have had a lot of siblings in between them, she couldn't imagine the chaos.

"Cyril will be able to lead you to the dorms. I'll be upstairs. I need to let the headmaster know of the collapse out front." she smiled one last time, waving as she disappeared up the stairs.


	3. Scene #3 - Rhea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhea can't get over the guilt she feels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one, namely because it's just her thoughts about seeing the students again. The next one will likely be Claude so hopefully a longer, more entertaining one.

Their faces haunted her still. 

Edelgard, the descendent of house Hraesvelg who turned her blade against the church.

Dimitri, the young prince consumed by hatred and vengeance.

Claude, the ever questioning leader who discovered the truth.

And then then there was her, the last child of the goddess. She was much like Dimitri, as she thought back to that war nearly 1000 years ago. She too was consumed by revenge, an obsessive desire to bring her mother back. 

But what would her mother have said to her? She was too late to realize the truth: her mother wouldn't want her life to cost the life of many others. Lives she manipulated and discarded, all while those of her family who remained looked upon her with disdain. 

And yet, they were here beside her. When she woke up in Byleth's arms, her family welcomed her back with open arms, giving her a fresh start.

Now she would be punished, surely by her mother, as everyone she knew returned to her. For days she could feel nothing but guilt, simply laying in bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't face them. She couldn't erase the looks on her student's faces as they breathed their last. When she buried Catherine and Cyril, they were unrecognizable. One by one, her friends and loved ones perished until only she and her small family remained.

She paced her breathing: in and out, in and out, and opened the door to the audience chamber. Of course, they had aged over hundreds of years, but still had millennia left. She wondered if she could bear to see her students die again.

"Did you see the students?" she asked Seteth, who was chatting with Flayn, now a young woman. She decided long ago that he should lead the church, and soon the unified country of Fodlan accepted all people, and the church withdrew its absolute control.

"That's what we're discussing" Seteth replied, his look stern, but understanding. "First the faculty, and now each and every student we taught that year, and that lost their lives in the war."

"I wanted to say 'It's too heartbreaking' but I wonder if this isn't a second chance? A chance to do things right..."

"Since when did you get stronger than me, Flayn?"

"We must remain hopeful...father...for despair will only see history repeat itself."

Seteth smiled, taking her hand and Rhea's. "We must remember that they do not know us, we'll need to be good actors." It was true, they all shared a fear of what would happened if they let slip the past. Would it happen all over again? Rhea was determined to set things right, it was her duty as someone who spent millennia manipulating and controlling the lives of each and every person in Fodlan.

"Do you want to be father and daughter this time?" She asked "Or family?"

"It's best not to--do not look at me that way Flayn--It would be suspect still."

"I suppose I must bear it." she relented with a huge sigh, letting him know just how burdensome it was on her. All three found themselves giggling a bit. They were sure that the threats to Fodlan these days were minimal but they still felt the need to hide, perhaps it was habit.

It's true that they had all grown, themselves, even it took hundreds of years. Seteth had taken on a more relaxed stance and accepted the changes that came after the war. Flayn had woken up a few years ago and they couldn't pretend she was only asleep for a little bit. Her fear of sleeping grew ever more and both Seteth and Rhea were too frightened to consider another war.

Another war in Fodlan, that is. It seemed that war had reared it's ugly head in various countries around the war, yet they enjoyed peace. Rhea wondered if mother was really watching over them this time. She hadn't seen her mother, no, Byleth, ever since he moved away from governing.

She found herself lost in her thoughts, the voices of Seteth and Flayn now muffled. She wondered if it was selfish that she didn't want the students to find out about the past--what could be their past. They were all new people now, they also had a second chance.


End file.
